Jellybean
by J-walker
Summary: Jellybean Jones would do just about anything for her brother. He was her favorite human being in the messed up world around her, and for him, she'd even step back into the twice-cursed town 'Riverdale'. Unofficial!JellybeanJones, SisFic, No pairings as of yet. WARNING-Censored Swearing
1. Prologue

**Jellybean**

Living in what was considered the 'town with pep' left most of its citizens lulled into a false sense of security. This belief, no matter how misleading was finally and abruptly shaken last summer, with the death of one of their own-Jason Blossom.

Even my brother became obsessed with the case, became motivated in a way he had never been outside of Pop's burgers. I love Jughead, he's the best brother you could ask for and plenty smart. But for someone smart enough to stay out of our dad's business he really did voluntarily place himself in dangerous situations. A high priority family in this not-so-sleepy town had been victimized and the culprit hadn't been found a week later…I sensed a coup. A conspiracy that I did not want my brother anywhere near, knowing him he'd find himself caught in the crossfire.

I wanted to help him, keep him away from it but there was little I could do from miles away, it was time to move back, time to move back to the twice-cursed Riverdale.


	2. Chapter 1: The Calls

**So I've been wondering about Jellybean in Riverdale from the very first episode that got aired, but after her actual character mention in episode 4 I HAD to write something about her. My character's going to be RIDICULOUSLY OOC…since, you know…she hasn't even appeared properly in canon yet…but I hope you won't mind her too much :D**

 **I have no fixed plan for her or this fic as canon is still being formed at a cruelly slow pace…my fic may end up making absolutely NO sense as canon progresses…but I felt like that was probably a good challenge as I have yet to write a fic on an ongoing series. Be kind Riverdale fans! Hope this will become something interesting….**

 **Jellybean**

In a dilapidated house infamously known to be owned by the local gang, the Southside serpents, a ring tone blared. Amidst groans and swears telling the phone to shut the f*&^ up, a man draped in black leather silenced the others with a shatter of an empty glass bottle to the floor.

"What!?" He lit a cig as he waited for the assh*le on the other end to talk.

"Well don't I feel loved…hello." A short, raspy laugh later and the man was taking the call outside with a smile on his face.

"Hey there jellybean. It's been a while kiddo." He could almost picture his little girl scowling in that way she did, the way that made your chest warm. G*& he missed her. "Your mum actually let you call me?"

"I'm paying for my phone. She doesn't get to tell me who I'm allowed to talk to." The man tensed.

"What do you mean you're paying for your phone? She's meant to be looking after you!"

"Like you look after Jug?" Guilt and anger seared through him, before he knew it he'd put his fist through the wall. He hissed through the pain but ignored it. "Neither of you are ideal parents, dad."

"So what? You called to criticise me?" This hurt more than his bruised fist. "I know I'm a failure to you kids, why do you think I let your mum take you away? Jug wouldn't leave, otherwise I'd make him-"

"I turned 14 last week dad." She'd ignored him and his excuses, she had a plan to execute. "I'm legally allowed to choose my parental guardian and lucky you, I'm coming back."

"You just said I wasn't ideal…"

"No. I said neither of you were ideal. But…Riverdale is home and damn it, I want to see my brother."

"You won't even have a place to crash here, all I've got is the base. At least there…you've got a bed."

"Yeah well, I'll figure something out. I always do" His lips flickered into a weary smile.

"You sound like your brother." He was conflicted at this point, of course he wanted to see his little girl, but there was no way he could support her, not by legal means. He'd have to wait for the Lodge money to come through and convince his kids who were far too good for the likes of him to accept the dirty money. "It won't be easy Jellybean. Jug's struggling as it is."

"I'll find a job and help him. Maybe at Pop's, or at a pinch I'll do odd jobs for your stupid groupies."

"Like hell you will! You're a smart kid Jellybean, you don't want that kind of thing on your record. You're going to go far in life and drag that brother of yours with you." He was a hypocrite, he knew that…but it was too late for him now. He needed his kids safe and if they could, and damn they could, thrive.

"He doesn't need me to go far in life, Jug's amazing all on his own." His little girl still had her brother on a shining pedestal, he wouldn't be surprised if she meant Jughead felt like home rather than Riverdale. Not a bad sentiment considering the town still had a murderer on the loose.

"I know kiddo, but sometimes people just need a push." A chuckle floated through the phone on her end.

"We still talking about Jug now dad?" With a grunt he hung up the phone. He loved her, he really did, but sometimes she sounded a little too much like her mother. The girl he fell in love with all those years ago and the woman he still couldn't quite come to hate.

She collapsed onto her bed in the small Boston apartment. She had one last call to make before her mom came back from work. She waited patiently for the person to pick up as she stared at her room's bare ceiling.

"Jellybean?" She instinctively grinned at the sound of his voice. Jughead was by far her favourite human being in the entire messed up world.

"Hey Jug. I have a surprise for you…" She knew the space between his eyebrows would be creased as he tried to think up all the possible things she could say.

"Is it pleasant? And let me clarify that by pleasant I mean pleasant for me."

"You tell me. I'm coming back to Riverdale." She made sure to keep an ear out for her mother but couldn't help but be eager for his thoughts on the matter.

"Why in hell would you WILLINGLY come back? You got out Jellybean!" There was a pause, but before she could explain herself he jumped in. "Is it mom? Has something happened?"

Not knowing how he'd react to her whole coming back to 'save him from himself' she decided to make use of her sliiiiight brother complex. "Look Jug, I'm basically self-sufficient. This way I can continue to be that and see you at the same time."

She heard him scoff on the other end, but knew he was still pleased. "Do you know when you're getting in? I'll make dad pick you up."

"I should be there by the weekend. I lodged the paperwork a few months back and it got approved so…I just have to pack really, and get on a plane." Her feet were restless as she went through the list of things she still had to do if her plans were going to come to fruition. "And-"

"-And avoid mom. She doesn't have a clue does she?"

"Honestly Jug? I don't think she'd really care either way. She's a touch too wrapped up in her life at the moment." They both knew of course that by 'at the moment' she really meant 'always'. As if summoned by her words, the sound of a locked door opening tore through the otherwise silent apartment. "Sh*t. She's back, I'd better go Jug. If all goes well…see you in a week?"

"See you then Jellybean. Please be careful…I love you."

"Love you too Jug." Their call ended and Jellybean wore a well-crafted smile for her mother. If this was going to work…she'd have to lay the flattery on thick. _Lie lie lie lie lie…_


	3. Chapter 2: The Lie

**Jellybean**

Gladys, a woman of pale skin and dark brown hair, not unlike her children, walked through her apartment. She was beautiful once, but her face was too gaunt and her orbits too dark to make her seem anything more than haunting now. She'd taken a vague note of her daughter's converse shoes piled neatly at the doorway, knowing she would be in her room doing whatever it was she did in there. Maybe homework…she and her brother had taken after their uncle Herman in that respect, had an intelligence unseen in either parent. Gladys didn't want to think about that, didn't want to think about her ex-husband or the little girl in the room with a grin that was so much like his. Not that the girl had grinned at her in years.

She stared at the closed door and considered going in to see if the girl still looked like him before changing her mind and heading to a much more familiar part of the apartment-the bar fridge. Within herself she knew she should probably be interacting with her…daughter, but Dionysus' blessing was more up her alley. Jellybean was perfectly fine on her own, and as far as Gladys was concerned by providing money for food and school, she had done more than other mothers could preach. Satisfied with her role as a guardian and heavily dosed on her best friends, vodka and gin, she happily stumbled her way to her room to get ready for another eventful night.

In the middle of applying her make-up with shaky hands, a knock at her bedroom door startled her. She cursed at the smear of red along her cheek. Wiping at it furiously with a damp cloth she stomped her way to the door to see a sheepish Jellybean bearing chocolate, on closer examination…liquor chocolate… _yum_.

"Hey mom! Saw these today and thought of you. You look lovely by the way." Too drunk and too focussed on the chocolates to comprehend the false flattery, Gladys practically inhaled two chocolates down before attempting to think of a response.

"I'm seeing Brian again tonight, he's taking me to that new club in town…Panda-mo- something. It's really exclusive you know!" She'd returned to her vanity mirror with chocolate box in hand, barely glancing at her daughter, not seeing the grimace that adorned the girl's face.

"He's taking you to Pandemonium? That's…exciting! You really picked a…charmer. Won't you let me do your makeup for tonight mom? It'd mean so much, to work on such a beautiful canvas…model." Jellybean briefly wondered if she'd taken it too far, but she'd clearly underestimated her mother's drunken state.

"Oh I suppose I could let my baby girl do up her mama's face…just for tonight." _Beats trying to get these stupid hands to steady themselves…must be Brian, making me so nervous!_ "I'm just so nervous with this guy, he might be the one you know!" She gave her daughter what she thought was a sultry wink, though Jellybean was hard pressed to differentiate it from an uncontrolled muscle spasm.

"Sure mom. Here, let me." As Jellybean fixed her mother's makeup to something more elegant than the violent reds and golden glitter of before, she slipped some forms out from her pocket and a pen. "Hey mom, can you sign this permission slip for me? It's for school tomorrow, just a trip to the museum."

Distracted by how pretty she looked in the mirror, Gladys didn't even glance at the forms, just scribbled down a signature wherever Jellybean guided her fingers. The trip must have meant a lot to Jellybean because she was actually smiling in a way it shone from her eyes…in a way that looked too much like her father. Abruptly, Gladys stood up and shoved the papers at her daughter.

"Right, well. I need to finish getting ready. There's some money for dinner on the counter…don't you wait up for me now!" Another muscle spasm from her mother later and Jellybean found herself standing outside her mother's bedroom door-a common occurrence. She didn't care anymore…the termination of guardianship forms were signed, she'd send them to the court tomorrow morning, and then she'd be free to leave.

Grabbing the money from the counter she crammed it into her pockets and gleefully made her way back to her room. Once she was safely behind a locked door again, Jellybean pulled out two duffel bags and began filling them with the necessities. Clothes, toiletries, money, sentimental pieces and a few books she refused to leave behind. She paused her packing though when she came across an old friend. She ran her fingers through the soft white fur of her stuffed dog, gifted to her by Jughead years ago at an amusement park…he'd been christened Hot Dog at the time.

"Well Hot Dog, you're coming me with me right? Jug said you'd protect me from anything…and he's probably missed you too, eh boy?" He was the last item to be squished into a bag before she crawled into bed for the night. She'd put aside the money with the rest of her savings and hoped it'd all cover the flight she was currently booking through her phone. Everything finally in order she dreamed about tomorrow. Visions of the court, the finalization of the forms, the flight and lastly Riverdale and Jughead, danced through her head as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

 **So I've stolen some names and made some references to characters found in the original Archie comics…see if you can spot any of them ;) I honestly didn't mean to make the Jones' mom so…messy…but lo and behold…a messy mom. Actually, she probably fits in with the rest of the crazy Riverdale parents XD Hopefully she'll get a reality check soon…Our JBean's a little crafty eh?  
**

 **I know these installments are rather short (here's me hoping it'll mean I'll update this fic quicker), but if you don't mind the fic, why not drop a pretty little review? Pretty please? With virtual Pop Tate burgers and milkshakes on top? XD**


	4. Chapter 3: The Flight

**Jellybean**

It had been a momentous morning. Jellybean's guardianship preference had gone through without much of a hassle, and truly she was grateful for overworked family and children service workers. She'd booked her flights, let the Riverdale Jones know she'd be dropping in on them like a whirling tornado by midnight and made her way to the airport when the time was right.

She was currently sitting outside the gate, waiting for her airborne chariot to hurry the h*ll up. Clean bandit's 'Rockabye' was pulsing through her earphones and her feet were tapping, whether it was to the ironic song or out of impatience for the flight was anyone's guess…maybe a bit of both.

She tried to not think about what her mother would think, when or if she realised she was gone. Happy? That there wasn't someone constantly reminding her of her past? Angry? At not getting regular child maintenance payments? Or worse still…completely indifferent. For what it was worth, she hoped that her mom's latest guy was good to her. She didn't have high hopes though, particularly if his opinion of the perfect date was a club at his age. Well…maybe the next guy, hopefully it'd be someone completely different to…well…her father.

She sighed as the boarding call sounded around her, more than happy to be distracted from her ridiculous ponderings…because really, her mother wasn't her concern anymore. Packing away her music she shrugged on her bag and jacket and followed the other passengers onto the plane. A kind looking elderly was sat beside her but Jellybean made no means to interact, choosing instead to catch two hours' worth of sleep.

It felt like she'd just closed her eyes before she was being shaken awake. The woman was gazing at her, eyes still kind, still caring. "Wake up now dear, we're landing soon." Jellybean wordlessly nodded while gaining her bearings. Seeing that the woman was terribly amused while still staring at her mouth, Jellybean was soon blushing and furiously wiping away at the drool still wet from her nap.

"Err…thank you ma'am." A baby wipe was presented to her and she took it with quiet thanks, still blushing of course. Suddenly refreshed, she was more amicable to polite chatter with the woman who had seen her in all her embarrassing glory.

"It's Angela dear, and you're more than welcome! So, what brings you to Atlanta, Georgia? Visiting family?"

She gave an awkward smile and decided to humour the lady. "Yes. My brother, and father. Yourself?"

If she could just keep the focus of the conversation on the lady in the last ten minutes of their forced companionship, things shouldn't get too uncomfortable. She could hardly tell her she'd basically run away from her mum in Boston to keep her brother from getting into it with murderous individuals, could she? Never mind she had no idea HOW she was meant to do that…

"Oh yes, visiting my son and his family. Haven't seen the little ones in years, it'll be so good to see them again." Jellybean figured Angela was the type of grandmother to bake warm chocolate chip cookies, tell fabulous stories of how she met her husband, and how mischievous her son was as a child.

"I'm sure they're looking forward to your visit as much as you are." The lady beamed at her and she actually felt a bit pleased with herself…despite the nosiness, Angela was a pretty decent lady after all.

"I'm sure your men will have missed you too. Why, you're such a charming girl!"

She snorted at the last line and couldn't help herself from responding a little cheekily, "Too bad it doesn't get me out of much trouble."

"Oh I'm sure you do just fine." Angela said with a conspiring wink. _Lady…you have no idea._ "How forgetful of me! I've forgotten to ask you for your name-"

"It's Jellybean. Jellybean Jones." A startled laugh spilled from Angela's lips.

It was still a novelty response as Jellybean hadn't interacted with many people in Boston, let alone introduced herself to them. For those she had, they'd simply taken it in stride and attributed it to her odd, quirky style. She figured they were just being kind, and was painfully grateful for not being pestered about her real name or why she went by 'Jellybean'.

"Well now…there's a story behind that one for sure!"

 _Which would be worse? Telling people my name is actually Forsythia? Or that I was proclaimed 'jellybean' because I was born amidst a traffic jam caused by a jellybean van._ It didn't matter in the end which was worse, her backstory would be a tightly kept secret…apart from every single Riverdalian in that traffic jam…and their damn dogs.

"I think you seeing me drool is enough embarrassment for one night Angela." She humoured me and thankfully backed off graciously.

Before Jellybean knew it she'd collected her duffel bags and was saying goodbye to Angela at the front entrance of the Atlanta international airport. "Well miss Jellybean Jones, it's been a right pleasure! You take care now and be sure to scold them men of yours for making you wait, you hear?"

"Will do Angela. Goodbye. Good luck with your family!" A warm hand dropped a wrapped package into her open palm and then Angela, no longer a stranger, left with yet another smile. Jellybean was genuinely going to miss the nosey lady, and her maternal, sunshine bright presence.

Waiting around for the family she hadn't seen in years was nerve-wracking now that she was actually here. She decided to distract herself with Angela's goodbye gift and stifled a laugh when she saw what was inside… _jellybeans._

* * *

 **Hey guys…you know the drill, if you reckon the fic's decent…leave a review! Virtual jellybeans are awaiting…; ) Also...did a bit of research for this one, Jughead's real name from the comics is apparently Forsythe Pendleton Jones lll, and Jellybean's is Forsythia Jones...incidentally Forsythia's also a plant...go figure XD Not sure if that'll pop up in the TV show...but hey! Fun facts right? :P I'm legit not kidding about the backstory behind 'Jellybean' either...anyone else know any fun facts about the Archie comics?  
**


	5. Chapter 4: The Drive

**Jellybean**

Getting beyond bored of waiting for her ride, she decided to stop being patient and call Jughead.

"So, I'm pretty sure I said tonight at 12 right? Pick-up?" A few choice curse words on his end later and he finally verbalised an answer…not a particularly helpful one though.

"Sorry Jellybean. As surprising as it may seem, dad couldn't rustle up a car for the night."

She should have known. When it came to her dad's stupid club, jobs took priority. You'd think by being the gang leader, a simple 20 minute pick-up trip for a daughter you hadn't seen in years wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. Then again, she knew before coming up with the whole 'save Jughead from himself' plan that she'd be swapping one dead-beat 'parent' for another.

"Right. Okay…it's like less than 20 minutes by car, walking it shouldn't take too long."

"You are NOT walking to Riverdale from the airport Jellybean! You're a fourteen year old girl, all alone, it's the middle of the night and there's a murderer on the loose." Well, when he summed it up like that, walking did seem a bit ridiculous. "Did I forget to mention that there's a murderer on the loose?!" _I get it already!_

A car that looked like it had been coloured in by a child with a pimp mentality roared into the car park before parking suspiciously close to where Jellybean was seated. It was a patchy dark purple, with tacky neon green rims and golden accents…if Jared Leto's Joker was liquefied into paint and splattered over a car…this would be that car. With that disturbing image in mind she shuffled closer to the airport's entrance way.

"Um Jug…"

"You are not walking Jellybean. That's fina-"

"I get that, I really do….murderers bad, not good…totally get that. But right now? I'm more concerned about this dodgy car parked right in front of me." Her heart was beating faster, and despite the cool night air her palms were sweaty.

"What car? Jellybean!? What does it look like? Get yourself somewhere where there's people, go back into the airport if you need to."

The tinted window of the driver's side was rolling down. In that single instant she could feel her hands fisted tight around her bags and the blood rushing to her legs, getting ready to run. She would have too, if it weren't for her brain too busy wondering why the window was rolling down instead of the door just opening. If it was a kidnapping they'd want to grab her before she ran…and if it were a drive-bye, the car would be in motion and they'd have shot her already. . ?

"Jug…the window's rolling down."

"Well don't wait for a creepy invi-" Jughead was abruptly cut off and a different voice flowed out from her phone's speaker.

"Hey kiddo! If that's a purple Cadillac, don't worry. That's just one of my guys." Funnily enough, coming from her father that did NOT make her feel better.

"Dad…this thing MIGHT have been a Cadillac once…now it's just a hot mess in purple and green. No offence, but if it IS one of your guys I'd say to not 'worry' would be impossible." She did not appreciate his manly chuckles, and she doubted her brother did either-he was probably more worried than she was.

"There's a head poking out of the monstrosity…the head is talking…the head doesn't know I can't hear it. The head is now getting out of the monstrosity and is making its way over."

"That-"…more laughter…"-that'll be Derek. He's a good guy, I trust him. Told him to drive by the airport after he finished up a small task." Deciding to ignore the 'task' comment, she breathed deeply trying to get her heart to settle down. Grabbing her stuff she walked towards 'Derek' and his…wheels.

"Err…Derek is it?" He was probably below average in height, but you wouldn't be able to tell at first glance with the way he held himself. He was all muscles, mocha tan and tattoos, but had a welcoming enough face.

"Yeah. Forsyth's kid?" Jellybean nodded silently as he took all of her bags from her. He carried them as though they didn't hold everything she owned in this world…like her prized hard-cover books that weighed a tonne.

"Jellybean? Are you okay? Is the guy one of dad's minions?" She was going to nod again before realising Jughead wouldn't be able to see her.

"Yeah Jug. I'm okay, I guess I'll be seeing you real soon." She hung up and slid into the open passenger car door. With her bags safely in the back and the mysterious 'Derek' behind the wheel, she half-heartedly gazed out the window at the moving scenery. "Dad must really trust you."

"The serpents are pretty tight knit, and your dad and I are practically family."

She gave a considering look at Derek's easy smile and wondered if her dad really felt like the serpents were more family than his actual kids. On further contemplation, she decided it was more likely that he preferred the environment where his lack of morals and ethics were celebrated. It was really a wonder how Jughead and she were so well-adjusted…for social misfits.

"So what's your deal?" She blinked owlishly at the sudden interest, in all honesty she'd figured the rest of the trip would be fairly…quiet.

"My deal? You're the old guy with the pimp-mobile." He was quiet and for a moment she wondered if she probably shouldn't have insulted a gang member. Looking closer at him in the dark she realised he was actually shaking, his lips twisted into a grin.

"First off kid, I'm 29. This car? It ain't mine…obviously. Mine's a sexy black Camaro, currently being held hostage at the mechanics."

"Camaros? Cadilacs? You guys must be doing well." She tried to keep the suspicion from her words but his unimpressed look told her she was unsuccessful.

"Little girls like you don't need to know about that kind of business." Annoyed at more than one of his insults, she couldn't stop from crossing her arms and huffing in her seat like the little girl he'd proclaimed her to be. Her actions made him smile again. "So what's your deal?" he repeated.

"You're going to have to be more specific." Still sulking in her seat she pointedly looked out the window.

"Your dad said you were with your mom in Boston for the last five years? Now you're back, knowing there's a crime spree?" For a gang leader her father really did share an awful lot of personal information, she was not amused.

"One murder's hardly a crime spree…and I'm pretty sure Boston's crime average is greater than the US', and certainly greater than Riverdale's." She paused, then smirked before asking him slyly, "unless you know something else?"

One hand on the wheel now, he ruffled her hair like she was a clever puppy, grin still in place. "You don't quit do you?"

"No. Never."

"So, what made you come back?" Apparently he didn't quit either. He was genuinely interested, this surprised her, she hardly considered herself a particularly interesting subject.

"You said it. I've been away for five years. I missed Jug, maybe even my dad." She shrugged like it was no big deal. "I turned 14 and it was just time."

"Your mum was fine with sending you back?" She grinned brightly, and there was no way he could tell if it reached her eyes in the dark.

"Are you kidding? She contributed to the trip herself!" Technically her mother had contributed, Jellybean mused. She'd been saving her mother's 'food' money along with her own pay from working at the local library, for years. A large chunk of it had gone into the trip.

She felt the car stop and upon looking out the window, recognised with some nostalgia that they'd parked at the twilight drive in. It represented some of her fondest childhood memories. Hiding in the trunk with Jug as their Dad drove them in, sneaking out once the movie started and curling up on the hood of the car, under the stars as we let our minds be carried away with the silver screen.

Stepping out of Derek's 'obviously not mine' car, she twirled around slowly, taking it all in, breathing in the air of her hometown. It all felt perfect, she was just missing one person-

"Jellybean!" She couldn't believe she'd missed him! He was so well camouflaged in the shadows. She relied on her ears and turned towards his voice. Suddenly she could see him, he was running, his face illuminated by the street lights. With an ecstatic laugh she met him halfway, and flung herself into his arms. The warm sense of safety and love overwhelmed her and if she wasn't careful, she'd be leaving his rumpled jacket wet with her tears. She'd missed him so much, and by how tightly he was holding her, he had too. "Jellybean?"

"Yeah Jug?"

"You were right…the car's a hot mess." They laughed together and were cheerfully stunned by one united thought. Even if the town around them and their parents had changed, their relationship was a constant. A comforting, much-needed constant.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back."

* * *

 **Siblings reunion! Yay! So…can anyone guess which fandom I stole my pretty Derek and his sexy Camaro from? :P**

 **Meanwhile...episode 5 is soooo close guys! Who's excited!?**

 **If you like things in this fic so far, have suggestions, or are just the average wonderful person…leave a review, won't you? XD I know, I know…it's been a slow start, but she's FINALLY here guys! Thank you to the folks who have reviewed, followed and surprisingly favourite-d this fic 3 It's very encouraging : )  
**


	6. Chapter 5: The Pointless Wait

**Jellybean**

Jughead and Jellybean Jones shared a number of physical features that came with being biological siblings; with their dark hair, green-blue eyes and pale skin. They even wore guarded and sarcastic dispositions like a good tuxedo, residue from their shared origins. But, with them now standing side by side it was clear that the five years apart had given rise to differences, differences that the two were studiously taking in. Jughead still donned the whoopee crown beanie Jellybean adored, but he was wrapped in all manners of layered dark clothing. In shocking contrast, Jellybean wore obnoxiously bright colours topped with her red bow, a juxtaposition to her personality at times, though certainly not now. She was beaming at her brother, a small sun amidst the barely lit drive-in carpark.

"You're taller. Still a munchkin though." Not feeling particularly insulted, she still shoved him on sheer principle.

"You have two years on me! I'll catch up Jug, don't you worry." With his arm slung around her shoulders they trudged their way towards Derek and more importantly, her bags.

"I've been crashing at the school." There was a quiet pause as she snuggled into his side. "It's a bit depressing considering the site, but at least it's got a roof, warmth and space right?"

Her hands were clenched into tight fists, stuffed deep into her pockets so he wouldn't see. She was furious at the thought of Jughead having to seek refuge each night while their dad was off being a menace to society. She had no idea what she or her brother had done in their past lives to deserve the sh**tiest luck in parents. At least she had lucked out in the brother department she thought with a small smile.

"Honestly Jug? If you were there, it wouldn't matter to me if it were a prison cell." She didn't mean to be cheesy, but she was rewarded with a warm side hug.

"It's a school Jellybean, that's exactly what it is." With Derek nearly in earshot they put their conversation on hold for the moment.

"Where's that father of yours kid? I'm not leaving you two alone out here." The aforementioned kid and her brother looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"Why? Because he'd think you didn't do your job?"

"You got me to Riverdale Derek, you've fulfilled your obligations. Relax." She gave him a baffled smile and went to take her bags from him. Well, she tried.

"Kid, what part of 'crime spree' do you not get? We're waiting for your dad." Derek pretended that their wariness at his show of parental-like concern was perfectly normal and had everything to do with his involvement in a gang. The alternative being that they were unused to this level of concern was something he didn't want to think about.

Family looked after family. That was something Derek had been taught since he was younger than the two teens still staring at him. When his parents died, his uncle took him in and by extension, so did his gang, the Southside serpents. Loyalty and family were paramount in a gang like the serpents, what with the whole town looking down their privileged noses at them. He wasn't lying when he said Forsyth had become like family, and Derek really did not want to think bad of his family. He trusted Forsyth, he refused to believe he'd left his kids stranded.

"He might not come Derek…" He turned away from her, from them. He focussed instead on packing her bags back inside the car and leaving the back seats clear for them.

"Feel free to keep warm in the pimpmobile, we're waiting."

"He said he had a job to do Derek. That he had to deliver a message to someone who was asking for it-which FYI is such a cliché." Jughead was smiling, but it was too full of steel to be in humour.

"Your dad wouldn't have let you hear all that" At the very least, Derek could in full confidence believe that Forsyth would keep gang business within the gang.

"So he didn't say all that to me, doesn't mean I didn't hear it." The boy had the same unnerving stare as his dad, Derek noted. He couldn't fault the kid for being upset. His kid sister had just wandered into a town with an unsolved murder, he was barely of age and had to look after the two of them. _Forsyth had better have a good explanation…_

Suddenly aware that they were pointlessly standing around and that it was rather cold, Jellybean shuffled into the backseat, dragging Jughead with her. Derek sat in the front, fiddling with the pimpmobile's heater. Beyond tired Jellybean rested her head on Jughead's shoulder, fighting off waves of fatigue as they came rolling in. Jughead played with her hair, his fingers lulling her into an unwanted sleep.

She only woke when Jughead shook her, and still in the haze of sleep it took her a moment to realise that they were no longer at the drive-in. They were parked outside a house she did not recognise.

"I don't like it. But it's past 2, and you're both exhausted. Get some rest. I'll chase up your dad and send him right over okay?" Wordlessly they dragged her bags out and stood by the porch of the house. Before leaving, Derek placed his hands on their shoulders, looked them both in the eyes and whispered a quiet apology. _For leaving them? For their father's absence? Maybe both…_

The sound of the car driving away wasn't as odd as the sight of it among the cookie-cutter houses lining the street, a sight that brought a sleepy smile to Jellybean's lips. She turned to her brother before gesturing at the house in confusion.

"Who lives here?"

"The Patels. They heard about Jason Blossom and decided to extend their trip until things settled down. It's near enough to the school, and I had a feeling Derek wouldn't-"

"-leave us be if he thought we were holing up in the school? No, he probably wouldn't." Between the two of them they lugged her bags towards the school. At the backdoor, near the dumpsters, Jellybean squinted her eyes at the chained handles, more specifically at the thick padlock keeping it shut tight. "So how are we getting in?"

"Alohomora." He grinned at her before pulling out a bundle of shiny new keys and rattling them in front of her eyes.

"What the hell!?"

"The janitor, like every other Riverdale high staff member, is ridiculously absentminded." A startled laugh later and they were walking through dark hallways lined by old lockers still baring graffiti stains. "The sickbay has a few beds and there's a row of unused lockers in the storage room that I've been storing some clothes and other stuff in. There's plenty of empty ones, and the code's just 000."

Trying not to overthink things she nodded at him and tried to put away her things quickly. She was just about ready to drop. A bed, sickbay or not, sounded like heaven at this point. She could use the girls' shower room in the morning…much later in the morning.

Jughead had opened the dividing curtain between the beds and was currently sprawled across his mattress in a heap. She chucked off her shoes, and kept her socks on-just in case it was a cold night. Crawling onto her own bed, she turned her head to face him. Their hands stretched to meet each other's in comfort, their smiles soft and tired.

"Goodnight Jug."

"Goodnight Jellybean"

She swore to herself as they fell asleep that she would help out as much as she could. She'd start looking for a job tomorrow... _I wonder if Pop's has any positions available._

 **Updated a bit later than I'd intended…but I was hoping the new Riverdale eps would shed some light on Jughead's new living arrangements. Ahhh well! I went with the school as a temporary home, I had considered a foreclosed home too but didn't know if the utilities would have worked…what would you guys have gone with?**

 **Can anyone guess what this urgent parcel was and who it was for (I mean…it really isn't all that subtle is it)?**

 **Forsyth's a bit of a %^ &$ in this, totally leaving them high and dry…I'll let Derek rip him a new one don't you worry ; ) I'm having fun seeing how many vague references I can make to Teen Wolf when I write Derek tbh XD**

 **Leave a review pretty please people? Thank you to all who have reviewed, favourite-d and followed! Much love : )**


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